Nuclease digestion patterns as a criterion for nucleosome orientation in the higher order structure of chromatin.

Nuclease digestion patterns have been used to discriminate between possible orientations of nucleosomes in the higher order structure of chromatin. Computer simulations were done assuming 3 basically different orientations of nucleosomes which include all proposed models for the '30 nm fibre'. It is found that only alternating exposure of consecutive nucleosomes can explain the DNase I and DNase II digestion patterns.